Image/sound output system
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsYasushi Nakaoka, Masanori Mukaiyama, Satoshi Miyazawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The technique of the invention attains a practical printing system between arbitrary clients and printers connecting with a network. An intermediation server connecting with the network is interposed between the clients and the printers to intermediate printing. Each client sends a printing request, which includes selection of print data and specification of a printer as an output destination, to the intermediation server. The intermediation server converts the selected print data into a general purpose format, which does not depend upon the type of the printer, and transfers the converted print data to the specified printer.
Claims18
An intermediation server that is located on a network and transfers a job received via the network to an output device connecting with the network, said intermediation server comprising:
- a job management module that manages jobs grouped by respective users;
- an instruction input module that receives via the network an output instruction of corresponding jobs, which are mapped to a specified user;
- and
- a job transfer module that transfers at least part of the corresponding jobs to the output device, in response to the output instruction.
An output instruction device that is located on a network and sends an instruction to an intermediation server, which manages jobs grouped by respective users, so as to cause said intermediation server to transfer a job to an output device connecting with the network, said output instruction device comprising:
- an identification information transmission module that sends identification information, which is used to identify a specific user, to said intermediation server;
- and
- a job specification module that selects a job to be transferred among jobs managed corresponding to the specific user.
An intermediation method that activates an intermediation server located on a network to transfer a job received via the network to an output device connecting with the network, said intermediation method comprising the steps of:
- managing jobs grouped by respective users;
- receiving via the network an output instruction of corresponding jobs, which are mapped to a specified user;
- and
- transferring at least part of the corresponding jobs to the output device, in response to the output instruction.
An output instruction method that activates an output instruction device located on a network to send an instruction to an intermediation server, which manages jobs grouped by respective users, so as to cause said intermediation server to transfer a job to an output device connecting with the network, said output instruction method comprising the steps of:
- sending identification information, which is used to identify a specific user, to said intermediation server;
- and
- selecting a job to be transferred among jobs managed corresponding to the specific user.
A computer readable recording medium, in which a computer program is recorded, said computer program activating an intermediation server located on a network to transfer a job received via the network to an output device connecting with the network, said computer program causing said intermediation server to attain:
- a function of managing jobs grouped by respective users;
- a function of receiving via the network an output instruction of corresponding jobs, which are mapped to a specified user;
- and
- a function of transferring at least part of the corresponding jobs to the output device, in response to the output instruction.
A computer readable recording medium, in which a computer program is recorded, said computer program activating an output instruction device located on a network to send an instruction to an intermediation server, which manages jobs grouped by respective users, so as to cause said intermediation server to transfer a job to an output device connecting with the network, said computer program causing said output instruction device to attain:
- a function of sending identification information, which is used to identify a specific user, to said intermediation server;
- and
- a transfer instruction function of giving an instruction of transferring at least one job selected among jobs managed corresponding to the specific user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.